Carried in Sound
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| Carried in Sound | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 November 2023 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 45:46 | |||
| Label | Year Seven Records | |||
| Smoke Fairies chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Carried in Sound | ||||
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Carried in Sound is the sixth studio album by English duo Smoke Fairies. It was released in November 2023 on the band's Year Seven Records label.[1]
The album was the first to be recorded and produced by the band at home, [2] and was crafted by the duo, with support from "long-term collaborator, Neil Walsh, adding wistful viola parts that are overlaid to create a one-man orchestra that blend perfectly with the duo’s guitars to create a lush sound" - Silent Radio.[3]
During the evolution of the record, the Smoke Fairies shared works in progress and ideas with fans via their Patreon[4] site, even asking them to vote for an album title. Prior to the album launch, Smoke Fairies released "Sticks and Stones EP", which included the title track, "Come to my Mind" and "Part of it All".
In an interview with Americana UK, answering a question about the record and her working partnership with Davies, Blaimire replied, "we called it 'Carried In Sound’ and I think there is a feeling we’ve been carried by music through our lives, and carried along by it in our friendship".[6] Speaking to The Line of Best Fit, Davies reflected, "Although the album has themes of sadness on there, it's looking at those things from a place of strength".[7]
In a review for KLOF Magazine, Mike Davies wrote, "Carried in Sound is an emotionally evocative album textured musically, vocally and lyrically with shadows and light, like a comforting flickering candle in the depth of darkness and storms; it’s easily the best thing that the Smoke Fairies have ever done".[8]
The band invited their Patreons to be extras in their 'Vanishing Line' music video, which was filmed in July 2023.[9]
A series of record store gigs, concerts[10] and festival performance[11] were held in 2023/24 to celebrate the record.
Carried in Sound was released on translucent orange vinyl, limited edition signed translucent blue vinyl exclusive to Rough Trade,[12] CD and digital download.
"Bruised by life and seeking solace in the lonely songs that play out from the radio, a love sick loner waits for nightfall to walk the path of a long lost city river. Anxious about the self-destructive nature of humanity, she collects the city's rubbish, searching for sticks, cans and stones to build an ark in time for the apocalyptic rise of water, when the river will reclaim its place in the city."
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Buzz Magazine |   [14] |
| Slant Magazine | [15] |
| XSNoize | [16] |
| Far Out Magazine | [17] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Vague Ideas" | 4:58 |
| 2. | "Vanishing Line" | 4:14 |
| 3. | "Carried in Sound" | 4:11 |
| 4. | "There Was a Hope" | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Seek It with Me" | 3:44 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sticks and Stones" | 5:44 |
| 2. | "Part of It All" | 4:22 |
| 3. | "2002" | 4:33 |
| 4. | "Perseus" | 2:56 |
| 5. | "Come to My Mind" | 4:13 |
| 6. | "Seek It with Me" (Instrumental) | 2:57 |